The End?
by Dragonrider2203
Summary: Is this the end for Merlin? Read and find out! Please Review. Sorry about those who have reviewed. The story disappeared and i had to re-upload it. Sequel coming soon.
1. The Revelation

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters....but i'd like to own Arthur.**

"Arthur!" Merlin shouted in warning as he watched the man Arthur had just stabbed rise up on to his knees. Four daggers flew through the air towards the back of the crown prince. Merlin jumped.

Arthur, hearing the shout, turned as Merlin crashed into him, bowling him out of the way.

Thud, Thud, Thud, Clang!

The prince raised himself up from where he lay. Merlin was standing above him, staring at the man, now lying dead on the courtyard. Arthur walked up to him and laid his hand on Merlin's shoulder, spinning him around. His eyes widened as he saw the daggers buried in the young man's shoulder, thigh and stomach; the fourth dagger lay where it had fallen on the cobbles. Merlin grinned his cheeky smile at Arthur, before his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed, Arthur catching him before his head hit the cobbles.

"Arrest that boy!" Uther barged onto the scene. "I witnessed him using magic! Guards, take him to the dungeon!" Merlin, it seemed, had jumped, powered by magic, right over Uther's head to where Arthur was standing, over 100 metres away. The guards seized the unconscious warlock from Arthur's grasp before he could move, and dragged him off to the dungeons.

"He just saved my life! How can you do this?" The prince shouted, his face turning red in anger.

"He practiced magic! All sorcerers are evil! He may have saved you this time, but next time it'll be he who tries to kill you!" Uther replied in a no-nonsense voice. He walked off with Arthur staring at his back. The crowd parted silently. Uther paused briefly by Gaius. "Attend me in the throne room immediately."

Arthur, Morgana and Gwen congregated in Gaius's chambers while the physician met with the king.

"I can't believe what happened. Who could have thought Merlin was a sorcerer?" Morgana commented, calm and cool as ever.

"He lied to me. I trusted him with my life." Arthur muttered, head in his hands.

"And he saved your life!" Morgana snapped. At that moment Gaius hurried in and began gathering up various herbs and potions.

"What did my father say?" Arthur demanded, leaping to his feet.

"He said that I was allowed to treat Merlin. He wants him to be awake and aware when he's...he's...." Gaius sat down suddenly, tears in his eyes, unable to say more.

"Executed.... I must see him!" Arthur finished, starting to walk out.

"No, Uther has forbidden anyone to see him except me. He especially mentioned you." Gaius said. He began collecting his remedies again. "I have to look after Merlin; while I still can!" With that Gaius left.

Merlin was lying where the guards had left him, still unconscious, with the knife hilts still sticking out of him. Gaius rushed to him, ignoring the pool of blood collecting around the boy.

"Merlin, Merlin, Merlin. Why did you do it? Uther is sure to execute you now." Merlin's eyelids flickered. They opened briefly as he asked.

"Arthur...is he... safe?" the boy gasped out, lapsing back into unconsciousness as Gaius said the prince was fine. The physician examined the wounds, cleaning them with stinging alcohol, causing the warlock to twitch and moan. Luckily none of the knives had penetrated Merlin's vital organs, or severed major blood vessels. Gaius carefully removed the daggers, trying not to make more damage. He sewed up the wounds and bandaged them up with herb compresses. He administered a painkilling potion, and then had to leave because of the impatient guards.

"Can you give him some water every so often? He's in no state to harm anyone" Gaius requested, and the guard nodded as he looked at the helpless boy inside the cell.

Arthur slept badly that night, even with the potion Gaius had given him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Merlin's smile as he collapsed, heard the thud as the daggers hit home, smelt the blood that came pouring out of his manservant. Who was he kidding?... his friend. He got out of bed and sat down on the window seat. He remained there until the first rays of the sun showed in the sky.

**Hope you like this. Review and I may just post the next chapter....if I'm feeling nice.**


	2. The Desperation

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters....but i'd like to own Arthur.**

**Thanks to Beth9874 for spotting the typo.**

Gaius entered the cell that morning to see Merlin lying in the same position as the night before. He was soaked in sweat and his forehead was burning. Gaius didn't understand it, he was sure he had cleaned the wound properly. He changed the boy's bandages and gave him another potion. Gaius then left with a worried expression on his face; Merlin hadn't moved in the entire time Gaius was there although he was breathing regularly and had a pulse. As the physician crossed the courtyard, something shiny caught his eye. It was a dagger, the only one which had missed his nephew. Gaius took it back to his quarters to examine it.

"The bastard! The blade is covered in manure! God help you, Merlin."

Morgana looked up as there was a loud knock on the door to her chambers.

"Come in!"

Gwen opened the door to reveal a rather dishevelled looking Arthur, with dark rims under his eyes.

"What is it?" Morgana asked, being uncharacteristically nice to him. She pulled him into the room and into a chair by the fire.

"I can't stop thinking about him. He wasn't just my servant, he was my friend. And now he's going to die because he saved my life. He's probably saved it hundreds of time!" Morgana had no need to ask who _he_ was.

"He's not going to die, not if we can help it!" the lady declared. "We need a plan."

Gaius was worried. Merlin just lay there, not moving, and he was getting worse and worse. He could not eat food and took very little water. When Gaius reported to Uther every evening, as instructed, the king seemed to be fairly happy if the warlock died, although he would rather had made an example of him.

The clock in the tower struck midnight as three cloaked figures slipped silently along the corridors of the castle, heading towards the dungeons. They halted at the top of the stairs, peering down at the four guards beneath them. The figure in front, Arthur, drew his sword and began to emerge when Gwen pulled on his arm, pointing to four more soldiers appearing from a side passage. The rescuers looked around as another set of guards marched in from the opposite direction. Uther wasn't taking any chances. Arthur shook his head; he could not beat so many soldiers, even with the help of Morgana and Gwen. They retreated back to Morgana's chambers to concoct another plan for the next night.

The next four days followed the same pattern. Gaius spent more and more time down in the dungeons, but to no avail. Merlin just lay there, getting gradually worse; it was only Gaius's expertise that had kept him alive this long. Arthur, Morgana and Gwen tried every night to rescue him, coming up with many plans, but none of them worked. Uther anticipated every idea they had; there was no way he was letting this _devil_ escape, after it had been hiding in his household for over six months now, corrupting his son and his ward.

Eventually Gaius came to a conclusion. He asked Merlin's friends to join him in his chambers. They all sat around the old wooden table, studiously avoiding looking at the door to the room Merlin occupied less than a week ago.

"I'm afraid it's not looking good" Gaius started as he surveyed the people in front of him. "Despite all I've done for him, Merlin is most likely going to pass away soon." Muted gasps came from the two women, and Arthur's head bowed. Gaius continued. "He seems to have lost the will to live. He's not fighting anymore."

"Why?" said Gwen, tear-filled eyes latching onto Gaius.

"He must know he will die anyway if he gets better. Maybe he wants to avoid being executed, or, more likely, he wants to spare his friends the pain of watching him die in that horrible way." Gaius bowed his head and sat down on his couch, leaving the three young people deep in thought.

**Please Review**


	3. The Goodbye

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters....but i'd like to own Arthur.**

That night, Gaius was keeping watch over Merlin when he noticed the boy's lips moving. No sound came out, and the young warlock showed no other sign of awakening.

Below where Merlin lay, the dragon woke to see a strange apparition before him.

"I failed my destiny Great One. I'm so sorry. Goodbye." The beast wiped a tear from his eye as the ghostly image disappeared.

Morgana sat up in bed, but it wasn't a dream which woke her. A figure stood before her, pale in the moonlight.

"You have been a great friend Morgana. Look after Arthur for me. Goodbye." Morgana lay down and sobbed into her pillow.

Gwen tossed and turned on her little bed. She dreamed Merlin was calling her. She awoke in fright, to see the warlock standing at the end of her bed.

"I'm sorry Gwen. I know you loved me and I loved you too. But it's too late. Goodbye." Tears fell freely down the maid's face as she watched the person she loved so much fade in front of her.

Gaius became aware he was being watched, and he turned to see Merlin standing before him, but also lying on the floor beside him. Now he knew what the boy was up to.

"Gaius. I loved you like a father but it's too late to save me. You are not to blame. Goodbye." The image faded away but the boy on the floor kept muttering. He had one last goodbye to make.

Arthur was sitting in his chair, staring into the fire when he felt a familiar presence behind him. He turned.

"Merlin?" He whispered, eyes widening in amazement.

"Yes, Arthur. I'm sorry you had to find out about me in this way. I would never have lied to you but I did not want you to have to choose between your servant and your father. The dragon was right when he said that our destinies were entwined, that we were two sides of the same coin. But it's too late now; I have failed you and everybody else I swore to protect. You are going to be a great king, with or without me; just keeping living your life. Goodbye, my prince."

With that, the image faded, leaving Arthur desolate and alone.

"Please Father, he's dying. Morgana and I just want be see him before he goes. I know he is a sorcerer but he was also my friend!" Arthur stood, holding eye contact with Uther. "You can have as many guards as you wish watching us, he's hardly dangerous now. I just want to see him."

"I have said no, Arthur. Anyway, you are a prince and he was a servant; there was no way you could have been friends" Uther replied.

Arthur flung himself on his knees before the king. "Sire, I beg you! Let me see him, and when he is dead I promise I will do everything you ask, everything."

"Get up boy, a prince should never beg" Uther looked around, checking to see if anyone was there, but he could see no one. "Would you agree to this as well Morgana?"

"I swear, Sire, upon my parent's graves, that once Merlin is dead, I will obey you completely." Morgana said, completely seriously.

Looking at the pain in his son's eyes, Uther agreed and his two charges rushed out.

They were down in the dungeons in less than ten minutes, Morgana dragging along Gwen. They had to wait for one of guards to come back from checking with the king, and then they were finally let in. The two girl's eyes immediately filled with tears at the sight of the pale, still figure; Gaius sitting beside him, dabbing the warlock's forehead with a wet cloth. Arthur crouched next to his one, true friend and gazed into his face, willing the boy to wake up. All four of them silently sat around him as day turned to night and the hours ticked by. Gaius fell asleep first, exhausted by his intensive nursing of his nephew. Morgana wasn't far behind him, visions of Merlin burnt alive having kept her awake for many days. It took another hour for Gwen to drop off, leaving Arthur maintaining his silent vigil. As the chiming of the clock striking three echoed around the cell, the prince stirred. He looked around, but no guards were in sight and the others were all sleeping soundly. Arthur gently picked up Merlin's hand, cradling it in his own, trying to warm it. He started to speak to his friend, even though he knew he wouldn't be heard.

"I'm sorry Merlin. You didn't fail, it was me. I should have listened to you more, and not treated you so badly. You must have saved my life countless time without me even knowing. You protected me even when you were dying; I know you sent that light in the cave. And yet I never admitted to myself, or to you, that you were more than just my servant; you were my friend, my best friend." Arthur looked down at Merlin's face, memorising it. In desperation he held the boy's hand tighter, weeping as he cried out.

"Wake up Merlin; wake up for me. I need you Merlin. I can't do this without you. Come back, come back, come back." The two words were repeated again and again as Arthur rocked back and forth, still holding his friend's hand.

**Please Review. Hope you're not too worried. Next Chapter will be up tomorrow.**


	4. The Restoration

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters....but I'd like to own Arthur.**

Merlin lay in darkness and agony, waiting for it all to end. He had said his goodbyes to those he held dearest and now had accepted his fate. As he began to feel himself slipping away, he heard the voice. As much as Merlin wanted to go, the voice wouldn't let him. The young man felt himself rising towards the voice; a voice that was becoming increasingly familiar. He suddenly recognised it: Arthur. Arthur needed him, Arthur was telling him to come back. He couldn't leave Arthur; not when he needed him.

"Ar-thur!" The prince looked up to see two blue eyes staring at him.

"You came back!" He nearly shouted in joy, before remembering the situation and bringing his voice to a whisper.

"You...needed....me." was the raspy reply. Arthur grabbed the bowl of water Gaius had been using, and dripped some of it into his friend's mouth.

"It's all going to be ok now." Arthur said. Merlin nodded slightly then dropped back into sleep. However, Arthur was not worried. He knew that the warlock would not leave him now. The prince lay down beside his friend, still holding his hand.

When Gwen woke to the crowing of a cockerel, the first thing she saw was Arthur, lying next to Merlin, still holding his hand with a smile on his sleeping face. She quickly shook Morgana and Gaius awake, signalling them to stay quiet, and pointing toward the two boys. Gaius stole over and felt Merlin's forehead, then slipped back to the girls.

"His temperature is down; I think he might be on the mend." They all looked over at the duo. "I don't know what happened last night, but I think Arthur gave him something to live for." He smiled.

"Now we've just got to stop Uther from killing him" Morgana explained, breaking the mood completely.

"We can't just pretend that he's dead. Uther will want proof. He'll want something to show the people he doesn't tolerate magic; like Merlin's head on a pole." Arthur winced as Morgana made that statement. The group were still in the cell, keeping up the pretence that Merlin was dying. In fact he was looking much better. He had woken up briefly, when Arthur did, and taken some water and some food. Now that the warlock wanted to live, his body was healing incredibly quickly. The fever was nearly gone and the wounds had faded to near his normal skin colour. But he was still weak, and fell asleep again rapidly.

"Uther certainly won't let him live for much longer now he's getting better" Gaius said defeatedly, moving a strand of hair out of Merlin's eyes.

"We can't let it happen!" Arthur and Gwen said simultaneously.

"I'm afraid Uther can't be reasoned with when it comes to magic. I'm still surprised he let you see Merlin, even if he was dying." Gaius replied, dreading the thought of losing the boy he felt so strongly for. "He's too weak to use magic to free himself, and it would be nearly impossible to get him out ourselves."

"I like a challenge!" Arthur said, rubbing his hands together.

"I know what we can do." They all turned to see Merlin trying to sit up. Arthur quickly kneeled behind him to support him. "I could make Uther forget; make all of them forget."

"You're not strong enough Merlin. A spell like that could kill you in your state!" Gaius retorted.

"I have to try. I'm needed." The warlock tilted his head back to look at Arthur as he said this. The prince gazed back.

"If we kept him safe until he was stronger; he would be able to cast the spell." Morgana said thoughtfully. "But how?"

Uther was worried. His son had been in the sorcerer's cell all night; so he went to check on him. He was surprised to find Arthur, Morgana, her maid and Gaius all sitting around the still form. The king quietly called Gaius over.

"Isn't it dead yet?" he demanded. The others did not even turn to look at him.

"Very nearly, Sire. By my reckoning he has only a few hours left. It's amazing he's lasted this long." replied Gaius, looking at the floor as he told the lie.

"Very well." Uther turned to leave.

"Sire?" Gaius called after him. "What would you like me to do with the body?"

"Bring me its head and leave the body in the forest for the animals." The king ordered.

"Arthur, Morgana, Gwen. Come away now. There is nothing more you can do." Gaius said, escorting them out of the cell and following behind. They all cast one look back at the boy, expressions of grief on their faces; but hope was secretly in their hearts.

As Gaius went to check on Merlin that night, he gave the guards some wine he had brought with him. There was only enough for one goblet each so the guard captain agreed. Merlin's eyes shot open as soon as he recognised Gaius's tread.

"Gwen will be here in half an hour. The guards will only be asleep for a short time. Arthur, Morgana and I will be dining with the king to avoid suspicion. I will see you later." Merlin nodded before lying back down and holding himself motionless.

It was a dreadful hour and a half they spent in the king's company. Arthur appeared to eat heartily, but in fact ate very little. He spent the whole time looking as his plate and clenching his fists; as his father lectured him on how evil sorcerers were. Morgana sat there looking pale, not touching anything. Gaius tried to keep up appearances by agreeing with the king occasionally, and expressing how shocked he was that a warlock had been living under his roof. Uther had just paused in his rant to sip some wine when the alarm bells rang out. A guard burst into the room, shouting that the sorcerer had escaped. Uther looked round at the shocked faces of his dinner guests; it was obvious they hadn't known anything about it.

"Arthur, take every able-bodied man and search Camelot from top to bottom. I want him back; dead or alive!"

Arthur rushed out calling all the guards to meet him in the courtyard in five minutes. Morgana retired to her chambers. Gaius went with Uther to search the physician's chambers; Uther assumed that would be the first place Merlin had gone to.

Arthur ran up to his chambers, supposedly to get his sword and chainmail. Gwen looked up from behind the bed as he entered and Arthur crossed the room to where she sat with the panting Merlin.

"We only just got here when they started ringing the bells. He's a lot weaker than he's making out." Gwen said, indicating the warlock. "Where can we hide him?"

"There is a secret chamber. Pull down on the second torch left of the windows." There was a muted grating as part of the wall moved sideways to reveal a small room. Arthur carried Merlin into the room and placed him carefully on the bed already prepared there. "I'll be back later" the prince said to his friend. "Go and see to Morgana. She looked ill at dinner." His words sent Gwen scurrying out the door as he closed the wall to the secret chamber. Pulling his chainmail over his head, he grabbed his sword and ran out.

Merlin woke up to the sound of banging nearby. He had no idea where he was but he instinctively kept silent.

"There's no sign of him in here!" He heard a voice shout, and then there was silence. The only thing Merlin could do was go back to sleep.

Arthur had been searching hard for several hours, but with no sign of the warlock. Eventually Uther caught up with him and sent him to bed, before he collapsed, commending his hard work. Obviously he wanted to see the sorcerer dead too. A short while later he passed Gaius hurrying along to Arthur's chambers.

"Gaius."

"Yes, Sire?"

"What are you doing?"

"Arthur requested a sleeping draught. He said that he needed some proper sleep, without worrying about finding the sorcerer."

"All right then. Carry on." Gaius hurried off, leaving Uther to make his own way to bed.

Arthur looked up as there was a knock on the door to his chambers.

"It's Gaius." Gwen opened the door and Gaius nodded to Morgana and Arthur before crouching by Merlin's side. The boy was sitting propped against a pillar, a half-empty bowl of broth beside him and a cheeky grin on his face.

"Looks like you're feeling better" Gaius said, smiling back.

"Don't be fooled, he's as weak as a kitten. He can hardly lift his arms." Morgana interrupted.

"I can too." Merlin demonstrated. His arm rose up slowly until it was level with his chest, but no further. It began to shake violently and was dropped fairly quickly. Sweat beaded his forehead.

"I can see that. I prescribe plenty of sleep and regular meals." Gaius chuckled, then started pulling things out of his pockets.

"I've had enough sleep already!" The protest was cut short as the physician poured some potion into his mouth. The boy's eyelids closed immediately, and he slumped back against the pillar.

"This draught will keep him asleep for about two hours. Feed him whenever he wakes and then give him a mouthful of this." Gaius looked round at all of them. "Sleep is the best thing for him now. It's the best thing for all of you now. Goodnight." With that he left the room, Morgana right behind him. Gwen remained behind in the hidden chamber to look after Merlin when he woke during the night. Arthur undressed himself and got into bed. He would sleep well tonight, knowing his friend was safe.

**Please Review. Next Chapter will be up tomorrow.**


	5. The Restitution

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters....but I'd like to own Arthur.**

**Sorry about the very short, slightly lame ending, managed to get Merlin completely stuck and struggled for an idea to get him out.**

Arthur spent every day out with the guards, searching an ever widening circle for the sorcerer; laughing inside as he thought of Merlin hidden in his chambers. Merlin grew stronger quickly. For the first few days he was kept asleep by potions but as he recovered he was allowed to stay awake for part of each day. As he became impatient to escape his confinement, Gaius brought him the book of magic to study.

Two weeks after Merlin "escaped", he was finally strong enough. Uther had nearly given up the search, assuming the warlock had fled outside the kingdom. He had rooted out several magical practitioners while searching for Merlin, and he planned to execute them all at once, as an example. He stood on the balcony, staring at the massive bonfire in the centre of the courtyard and the figures tied to posts within it. Arthur and Morgana stood behind him, watching with narrowed eyes. The fires were lit. Many of the crowd looked away as the men and women screamed, the flames lapping at them. Uther watched until the flames died away. As he turned away, he saw a cloaked figure step forward, calling his name. The hood came down and Uther was astonished to see Merlin standing before him. Arthur, Morgana, Gwen and Gaius clapped their hands to their ears but Uther was too busy watching the warlock to notice.

"Slath fret hoth rabba! Lilth kleck def toray! Poras getra relif vun! Wella ytria jellif MEM!"

Merlin's eyes flashed yellow and a purple mist poured from his mouth as he finished the incantation. The mist drifted around the crowd, entering the ears of everybody present, except the people who had covered them. The mist changed their memories, Uther's in particular. Merlin's name and appearance was changed for another's, a person long dead. The warlock was long gone; they could give up the search. Merlin was just Arthur's idiotic manservant and Gaius's cheeky nephew. The purple mist faded away and Merlin retreated into the background. Uther turned and walked away as if nothing had happened, and the crowd quietly dispersed.

Merlin was safe again, and where Arthur needed him.

**The End**

**Please Review.**


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